KOCHI: The assembly polls in Kerala are going to be special for AK Saajan, who is taking a political plunge and that too against his former employer and social welfare minister
MK Muneer
. Saajan used to work as a driver for Muneer who is fighting this election from Calicut on a Muslim League ticket.
The relationship between Saajan and Muneer turned sour when a news channel owned by the minister shut down on February 9, 2015. The employees who lost their jobs accused Muneer of financial impropriety; some of the employees claimed they weren't given salaries for four months.
Saajan was also working at the 'India Vision' channel since it started operations in 2003. He was among the 300 employees who lost their jobs when the channel shut down. "I am not sure about my win, but I want to tell my voters that Muneer has betrayed his employees. All his employees don't have money to buy food, but he is enjoying his life," Saajan said.
He will file his nomination papers on Tuesday. And as a mark of protest, Saajan's election slogan is 'Where are our salaries?'
Saajan said the film exhibitors' association had accused Muneer of financial impropriety in the past, even the shareholders of the news channel he owned filed several cases against him. Some reports also say that Kerala workers' association issued notices to Muneer after complaints against him but he used his power and influence to come out unscathed.
Some of the journalists who worked at India Vision were able to find jobs, but others who performed non-editorial or technical functions had to resort to other means to earn a livelihood. A few of them have even opened a dhaba. They tried to contact Muneer, but he never paid heed to their calls.
Reorts say whenever a demand for pending salaries was made, Muneer said he will resume operations. Muneer is the son of former chief minister CH Mohammed Koya.
Content source: Malayalam SamayamRead this story in Malayalam